1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing system, and more particularly to an image processing apparatus handling an image file, the image file itself being stored in another apparatus or the like, and an image processing system including such an image processing apparatus.
2.Description of the Related Art
Transfer of data including image data has conventionally been carried out among a plurality of apparatuses connected to a network.
For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-046705 (Patent Document 1) discloses a technique applicable to an image processing apparatus, to erase image data after transfer of the image data to a predetermined external terminal device that is carried out when a set retention period of the image data stored in the image processing apparatus has elapsed.
In addition, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-057314 (Patent Document 2) discloses a technique to manage image data stored in another equipment connected to a network based on its link information, in equipment connected to the network, in order to avoid redundant storage of identical image data in a plurality of pieces of equipment connected to the network.
As described in Patent Document 2 above, however, if image data is managed by using link information, inconvenience has been caused in some cases, for example, in a case where setting of upper limit of storage capacity for each user is attempted or a case where charging in accordance with the used storage capacity is attempted. More specifically, if a plurality of users attempt to store the identical image data in storage devices they own, the image data itself is stored in a storage device owned by one user, while link information of that image data is stored in a storage device owned by another user. In such a case, although an attempt to store the identical image data is made, an amount of data used for that image data is different among users, and it is considered as unfair in terms of charging or upper limit management of the storage capacity.